More religious and faith-based leaders continue to add their voices to the call for further discussions on the much-talked about Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, also called the anti-gay Bill.
The Bill, which was passed by Parliament in February this year, is yet to receive presidential assent due to some legal tussles around it.
Some of the religious leaders believe that the Bill, as it stands now, appears to be politically motivated and that the personal interests of those behind it have overshadowed the national interest.
This came to light in Techiman in the Bono East Region during a social dialogue with religious and faith-based leaders on human rights and rights-based approach to protecting and respecting the rights of sexual minorities in Ghana.
It was organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), an independent, not-for-profit research and advocacy think tank working to advance democracy, good governance and inclusive economic growth, in collaboration with the Centre for Religion and Public Life (CRPL-Ghana), a civil society group.
CDD-Ghana works to complement the broader objectives of strengthening democratic governance, the principles of popular participation and the demand for public accountability while CRPL[1]Ghana seeks to balance religion and spirituality in public life through research, education, lobbying and advocacy.
It became obvious during the dialogue session that a sizeable number of the populace has neither read nor been taken through the bill but are emotionally in support of it primarily based on their religious and cultural inclinations and what they have heard through the media.
Broader consultations
“There should have been a broader consultation for inputs from various interest groups because the Bill in its current state violates the fundamental human rights of some people. Even though we don’t accept LGBTQI+ but it’s too harsh to my liking and it must be reconsidered. Some aspects of Bill must not be allowed to remain and so I suggest that Parliament should float the process again for further discussions before it is laid on the floor again,” said Rev. Robert Boadi, the head pastor of the Techiman branch of the Evangelical Church of Ghana in an interview on the sidelines of the dialogue.
For his part, Rev. Augustine Agyapong Bae of the Trinity Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Techiman, wondered why the seeming pressure to pass the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill today when Ghana’s current criminal code and other legal frameworks under the 1992 Constitution adequately deal with all the issues raised in the bill.
“I thought there were no laws in our statutes that deal with some of these things, but I have come to realise that there are laws that can adequately deal with anyone who engages in gay or lesbianism. We’re not saying nobody can make laws in the country, but it should be devoid of politics and emotions so that we don’t regret our actions in future,” he again said.
For his part, Rev. William Appiah Kubi, the head pastor of the Faith Baptist Church in Techiman, said the dialogue session had enlightened him and his colleagues on the Bill.
He noted that the proponents of the Bill appeared to have rushed the process leading to its passage without adequate consultations, adding that there are several provisions of the Bill that should either be revised or taken out completely because of their tendency to infringe upon other people’s fundamental human rights.
He said: “There will be a lot of chaos if this Bill is allowed to come into effect, so I think we need to broaden the discussion further for people to be adequately informed about the various provisions of it.”
Most participants also expressed similar concerns during separate interviews.
Dr. Michael Augustus Akagbor, Senior Programmes Officer of CDD-Ghana, was happy about the outcome of the dialogue, and gave the assurance that more of such engagements would be organised, going forward.
Misconceptions
“Usually, people come for such a programme with their preconceived perceptions, but through engagements we realised that a lot of the participants have not even read the Bill, and that’s the danger of language. These are people of authority, and once they say something people consider it to be true. So, it’s good that we’ve been able to engage with them,” he stated.
He said CDD-Ghana would continue to engage with various stakeholder groups on the issue, adding that “the more people understand this Bill, the more they come to the realization that it is not good for our country.”
The Executive Director of the CRPL-Ghana, Rev. Dr. Confidence Bansah, reminded religious leaders to mindful of the teachings of Jesus Christ, which are mainly centred on peace, love and reconciliation. He said Christians are the salt and the light of the world and must therefore act in a way that would ensure that people live in unity and in harmony devoid of any discrimination.
John, a priest ordained in a mainstream church, remembers struggling all his life to reconcile his sexual orientation with his calling to be a church minister.
Facing homophobia after being outed in church, he started searching for queer affirming theology and spaces within Christian communities.
He shares his story on how finding a queer-affirming church in Kenya changed his life and his calling to priesthood.
Speaker of the Ghana Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has reaffirmed his commitment to opposing the legalization of LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana.
He disclosed this at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Catholic Church in Oyarifa, Accra, during its Patronal Feast Day.
Rt Hon Bagbin declared that he would rather die than support LGBTQ+ rights, which he believes are driven by negative forces and should not be accepted in Ghana.
He criticized European countries for promoting homosexuality in the African continent and urged the Catholic community to disregard media claims that the Pope has endorsed LGBTQ+ activities.
Speaker Bagbin stated that LGBTQ+ rights do not exist anywhere in the world and will not be legalized in Ghana during his tenure.
“Let me say that, as a Catholic, I will not do anything that will end the world and as I always say, I prefer to die fighting against these homosexual activities than to protect their so-called rights,” the Speaker of Parliament said.
The anti-gay bill, which promotes traditional family values, has been passed by Parliament and is awaiting the President’s assent to become law.
Rt Hon Bagbin praised the Catholic Church for its support and contributions to national development, particularly in education, health, and social services.
He highlighted the Church’s role in advocating for social justice and human rights, including efforts to abolish the death penalty and criminalize witchcraft accusations.
“Let me commend the church for taking the principled stand of speaking out against injustice and championing the cause of the marginalized. This important role by the church ensures that the nation moves towards greater equity and inclusion, creating a just society where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”
“Indeed, it is an open secret that many of the schools, hospitals, and charitable organizations that provide essential services, especially in underserved communities in Ghana have been led by the Church. These institutions do not only address the immediate needs of the people but also empower individuals through education and healthcare, thus contributing to a more informed and healthier populace,” Speaker Bagbin added.
He urged the Church to continue pressing the Executive to pass important legislation, such as the Armed Forces Amendment Act and laws against witchcraft accusations. Bagbin also donated GHS20,000 towards the Church’s new chapel project, emphasizing the importance of promoting ethical and moral values.
In his sermon, Most Rev. John Kobina Louis encouraged church members to seek the intercession of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, for wisdom and endurance.
The Church’s Pastoral Council Chairman, Henry Adjei expressed gratitude to Rt Hon Bagbin and the Auxiliary Bishop for their support.
According to him, the Church started 28 years ago and has a congregation of over 1,500 members, noting that, the new chapel project is estimated to host over 2000 congregations when completed and assured that the Speaker and the Bishop would be invited for commissioning.
The subject of gay rights came up at a student forum attended by French politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon (L) and Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko (R) (c)AFP
A Senegalese court has jailed two men for “spreading false news” after they accused Ousmane Sonko, the country’s new prime minister, of tolerating homosexuality.
Activist Bah Diakhate and Imam Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Ndao were jailed for three months and fined 100,000 CFA francs ($165, £130) each.
They had been angered that Mr Sonko had allowed a visiting French politician to express his support for same-sex marriages.
Homosexual acts are banned in the mainly Muslim West African country and are punishable by up to five years in prison.
The political activist and the preacher were arrested two weeks ago after posting a video attacking Mr Sonko for giving a platform to Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a far-left French politician.
Mr Mélenchon gave his opinion about same-sex marriages at a student forum in the capital, Dakar, in mid-May.
His comments reportedly sparked boos from the audience at Cheikh Anta Diop University.
In response Mr Sonko said that Western countries should show restraint on social matters such as LGBTQ rights as it could “lead to anti-Western sentiment”.
Senegal would continue to manage issues around homosexuality in accordance with its socio-cultural norms, the prime minister said.
He was quoted as saying that homosexuality was “not accepted, but tolerated” in Senegal.
Mr Sonko, a former firebrand opposition leader, was appointed prime minister in April after his ally Bassirou Diomaye Faye was elected president.
They were freed from prison not long before the vote in an amnesty aimed at calming months of political turmoil after the outgoing president had tried to postpone the election.
The pair campaigned on a promise of radical change – with an Afrocentric and nationalist agenda, promising to reset Senegal’s relationship with France, the country’s former colonial power.
Africa is a diverse continent with many cultures, norms, languages, and belief systems. Africa is also a continent where LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and other nonbinary identities) persons experience exceptional human rights violations. Consensual same-sex sexual acts are criminalised in 31 countries, with the death penalty indicated in Mauritania, Nigeria, and Uganda. Incarceration ranges from one-year imprisonment in Liberia to life imprisonment in Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and The Gambia.
Queerness is constantly portrayed as a Western import. This misconception fuels anti-gender sentiments, coupled with cultural and religious biases, denies LGBTQIA+ individuals their right to be themselves and has resulted in systemic and social forms of discrimination and violence against queer persons. Although some progress has been made globally in recent years towards recognising and proclaiming these rights, the struggle for LGBTQIA+ rights in Africa remains an uphill battle with no end in sight.
Historical context
The acceptance or non-acceptance of sexual and gender diversities in pre-colonial African societies varies. In pre-colonial Africa, queerness was exhibited in various ways, including, but not limited to, identities such as ‘mudoko dako‘ and ‘goor jiggen’, effeminate men in Lango, northern Uganda and Senegal, respectively, who were regarded as women and could marry men in Northern Uganda; ‘inkotshane‘ which was a form of male-male sexual relations in Basotho, southern Africa, and ‘motsoalle‘, which referred to intimate relationships between women in Lesotho.
Colonialism significantly reshaped African societies and imposed Western ideas about sexuality and gender.
Colonial powers imposed their own cultural and religious values. They introduced anti-sodomy laws and moral codes that criminalized same-sex relationships and non-binary gender expressions, which has contributed to the stigmatisation of LGBTQIA+ individuals in the present day.
The British Empire, for example, introduced anti-sodomy laws in many African colonies. These laws criminalised homosexual acts and reflected Victorian-era British values. Other European colonial powers, such as the French and Portuguese, also influenced their respective colonies’ legal and social landscape. These laws and norms continue to exist in some African countries to date.
Cheerful queer persons working. Photo via Shutterstock.
Decriminalisation movements
In recent years, Africa has experienced a growing movement to decriminalise queer identities and expressions across the region. This movement has faced setbacks and successes, but it represents a crucial step towards achieving LGBTQIA+ rights and freedoms across the continent.
South Africa is often regarded as a leader in LGBTQIA+ rights in Africa. In 1996, it implemented a new Constitution that included a bill of rights explicitly listing sexual orientation as a protected class. South Africa became the first country in the world to protect individuals from discrimination based on sexual orientation constitutionally. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2006.
Mozambique revised its penal code in 2014, decriminalising homosexuality. This change was seen as a positive step, albeit limited in its immediate impact due to entrenched social stigma. Seychelles followed suit, where same-sex relationships were decriminalised in 2016. This change in the law was a significant milestone for LGBTQIA+ rights in the country. In January 2019, Angola decriminalised homosexuality by revising its criminal code. This move made Angola one of the first African countries to prohibit discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation. In June 2019, Botswana overturned a colonial-era law criminalising homosexuality, marking a significant turning point in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights in Africa and inspiring hope in other nations.
Despite these promising developments, many African countries still maintain existing legislation and pass new laws to criminalise homosexuality, often justified on the grounds of tradition, culture, and religion. These laws facilitate the arrest, intimidation, and persecution of LGBTQIA+ people. LGBTQIA+ people also navigate the social stigma regarding their identities, which often results in exclusion and discrimination in several spheres of life, including work, school, and healthcare.
Religious and cultural objections are frequently peddled against LGBTQIA+ rights, which fuel hate crimes and other forms of harassment without consequence.
Organising for LGBTQIA+ rights
As LGBTQIA+ organisations continue advocating for rights and inclusion, they face a myriad of challenges that often hinder their progress. They primarily lack technical support, leading to a shortage of human resources, tools, services, and safety plans for staff, which impacts the efficiency of their operations and advocacy efforts. The limited ability to recruit and retain qualified staff further poses significant obstacles to sustained advocacy initiatives.
Organisational limitations also hinder resource mobilisation outside of project calls, restricting LGBTQIA+ organisations’ ability to access necessary funding and support. Insufficient recognition of the contributions of independent activists to the movement’s growth further hinders sustainability. Additionally, LGBTQIA+ activism faces financial challenges with limited access to information on funding opportunities, compounded by language barriers, as most calls are in English. The complex and tedious application processes exacerbate this issue, leading to uneven and competitive funding. Overreliance on one-off foreign grants also threatens financial stability and sustainability, as does the lack of core or multi-year funding, which is crucial for maintaining activities and skilled human resources.
Despite these challenges, LGBTQIA+ organizations continue to persevere, leveraging their resilience and determination to overcome obstacles. Collaborative efforts, strategic partnerships, and advocacy initiatives are crucial to fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ activism in Africa.
A trans person with his partner. Photo via Shutterstock
Glimmers of African queer liberation
LGBTQIA+ activists around Africa have accomplished great things despite these obstacles. There’s been a rise in thriving LGBTQIA+ groups working on community-building, advocacy, and assistance. Some of these groups are strongholds and change-inducing agents, putting forth an endless effort to combat prejudice and advance equality.
In Kenya, galck+ stands as a beacon of hope, advocating for rights and challenging discriminatory policies. Galck+ has been influential in forming working relationships and alliances with government institutions and civil society organisations, which inspire a society that appreciates diversity and recognises equality for everyone irrespective of their sexual orientation, gender, and expression.
South Africa’s Iranti works to advance LGBTQIA+ rights through research, media campaigning, critical engagement, mobilisation, and reframing perceptions through storytelling. It also raises awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues to reduce stigmatisation and discrimination and shares inspiring tales of resiliency.
The Initiative for Equal Rights – TIERs Nigeria uses research and documentaries to increase awareness and understanding. TIERs promotes equal rights for LGBTQIA+ people through community development, activism, and legal support.
CHEVS West Africa works to advance social justice outcomes and strengthen LGBTQI+ movements across the West African region by transforming power systems, reimagining movement resourcing, enhancing queer visibility and expression, and knowledge and insights generation and management.
The Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) works in 10 West African countries, promoting respect for individuals regardless of faith or sexual orientation. Through dialogue with media, faith-based groups, and communities, IDNOWA bridges religious divides and changes attitudes towards LGBTQI individuals.
In the heart of Botswana, Legabibo embarked on a monumental journey to secure LGBTQI+ peoples’ rights to freedom of association. Through relentless advocacy and legal battles, Legabibo paved the way for a historic court decision that finally recognized the eligibility of LGBTQIA+ groups for registration in Botswana, a significant step forward in the fight for equality and acceptance.
In Uganda, SMUG International stood unwavering in the face of adversity, championing the rights of stigmatised and persecuted minorities. Despite facing threats and navigating legal hurdles, SMUG International, a resilient umbrella coalition, fiercely advocated for LGBTQIA+ rights and played a pivotal role in opposing the notorious “Anti-LGBTQ Bill.”
In Namibia, the Equal Rights Movement has been at the forefront of advancing LGBTQIA+ rights despite facing social barriers. Leveraging community support, advocating for legal reforms, and spearheading awareness initiatives, Equality Namibia has made significant strides in promoting inclusion and equality for all.
Across the continent, Pan Africa ILGA emerged as a formidable force, uniting LGBTQIA+ activists in a common mission to advance rights and foster acceptance. Through collaborative efforts and strategic advocacy, this regional group engaged with legislators to push for legislative reforms to improve LGBTQIA+ rights throughout Africa.
Organizing against all odds, the tenacity and resilience of LGBTQIA+ activists in Africa should be recognised, underscoring the transformative impact of collective action and advocacy. From challenging discrimination to advocating for equal rights and creating supportive communities, these activists continue to inspire hope and drive progress toward a more inclusive and equitable Africa.
Elsie Prah is a dedicated activist, working to build a strong feminist movement and promote solidarity as a member of the human rights organisation at Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA). Elsie focuses on LGBTQ+ rights and strives to create a more visible, inclusive and equitable society for marginalised communities. Elsie is passionate about addressing climate change, tech, feminism, gender inequalities and fighting disability injustice.
This story is part of a series in collaboration with the Yemoja Feminista Fellowship by CHEVS, a queer feminist organisation dedicated to advancing social justice and strengthening LGBTQI+ movements across West Africa. The series features insightful analyses, and fervent calls to action from young feminists addressing issues across gender, culture, and human rights in West Africa. The stories offer personal viewpoints on the struggles and victories of feminist activism in the region and the critiques of systemic injustices. The authors prompt us to face uncomfortable realities, question entrenched norms, and imagine a future where all people are free to live authentically and thrive.
Amidst growing complexities, regressive attitudes and laws targeting LGBTQIA+ rights, attacks on sexual and reproductive health rights by anti-gender networks, and the enduring impact of colonial legacies and harmful cultural practices, storytelling remains a vital tool. It challenges stereotypes, centers marginalized and minoritized voices, advocates for healing justice and collective care. In stories we honor the legacy of African feminisms and the tireless work to dismantle intersecting oppressive systems and create a vision of the future grounded in equity, justice, and love. – Rosebell Kagumire, Editor, African Feminism.
Open Letter from the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa to the Most Rev. Philip Naameh, Chair of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference
05 March 2024
Dear Most Rev. Philip Naameh,
We urge you and the Catholic bishops in Ghana to reconsider your stance toward the now-passed “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act, 2024.” Ask the President not to assent to it. Pledge to support LGBT+ Ghanaians with human rights advocacy and pastoral care. Take back the religious independence which this Act wrongfully arrogates to the civil authority.
We urge you and your fellow bishops to read the Act carefully. This Act criminalizes people who “hold out as” LGBT+ (section 4.1). It criminalizes spiritual caregivers, family, and friends, who do not immediately report LGBT+ people to the police (sections 4 and 17). And it protects anti-LGBT+ media which styles itself as a “response to any form of advocacy or activism,” no matter how “graphic” or hateful that media may be
Criminalizing people on the basis of their inward dispositions is wrong. As Pope Francis stated on 5 February, 2023: “Criminalising people with homosexual tendencies is an injustice.” We urge you to follow the Pope’s leadership.
LGBT+ people often share their thoughts and their struggles with spiritual caregivers, family, and friends. Forcing these caregivers to report LGBT+ people to the police is a shocking overreach of government power. How can spiritual leaders like yourselves tolerate such a provision in the law?
Giving sanction to graphic anti-LGBT+ propaganda in education, instruction, and public media encourages hatred and violence. To support this kind of legalized vitriol is to cry “Peace! Peace!” where there is no peace (Jer 6:14).
Your support for this Act has created panic among many of the LGBT+ people of Ghana, and among many of the people who love them. Those who look to you for action are desperate. Many turn to the Church as a last place of refuge and support. Do not chase souls away. Do not lead our society into greater conflict and vitriol. Do not abandon the persecuted, and lead their persecutors astray.
IDNOWA affirms the teaching of the Catholic Church that LGBT+ people “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity;” that “every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided” (CCC 2358).
We believe that our sexual orientations and gender identities belong to God’s creation and are part of his plan for the salvation of humankind, while the Magisterium of the Catholic Church teaches that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered” and that “under no circumstances can they be approved” (CCC 2357). On this we disagree. But we affirm with you the Magisterium’s teaching on the dignity of LGBT+ people: “It is deplorable that homosexual persons have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in action. Such treatment deserves condemnation from the Church’s pastors wherever it occurs. It reveals a kind of disregard for others which endangers the most fundamental principles of a healthy society.” No matter what a person may “hold out” to be, “the intrinsic dignity of each person must always be respected in word, in action and in law” (Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 10). On this, all people of good will should agree.
Now that the Act has been passed by Parliament, the Ghanaian government has begun to weigh its costs and its dangers. The bishops, too, should weigh its effects very carefully.
We urge you to ask the President not to assent to it.
We urge you to pledge your support for the human rights of LGBT+ Ghanaians; and for their right to access pastoral care and personal counselling in freedom.
If this law gains Presidential assent, we urge you to support LGBT+ Ghanaians and the people who love them with legal assistance. Give them lawyers and legal support when they are arrested and jailed under this unjust and un-Christian law.
In the past several years, IDNOWA has made efforts to engage with you and the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, but we have never received an invitation to further dialogue. In the spirit of synodality, ask us to talk with you. Walk together with us, so that you can hear the voices of LGBT+ Ghanaians – both Catholic and non-Catholic. Let us together build a more peaceful, more just society.
Sincerely, Davis Mac Iyalla Executive Director of Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa interfaithdiversitynowa@gmail.com
IDNOWA’s Executive Director, Davis Maclyalla paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Director and staff of the Centre for Religion and Public Life Ghana in their Accra office on Tuesday, 30th January 2024. IDNOWA visited the centre to discuss collaboration and to explore avenues for providing inclusive, safe, and pastoral care for marginalised people in Ghana, mostly the LGBT+ people. IDNOWA was well received, and we presented the CRPL-Ghana team with copies of our booklet, where we have documented the violation of the human rights of LGBT+ persons in Ghana. There is much evidence to engage parliamentarians and government to state why the anti gay bill shouldn’t be passed .
A prominent Ghanaian priest, cardinal Peter Turkson of the Roman Catholic church has spoken against criminalizing homosexuality, challenging the proposed bill in Ghana’s parliament that seeks severe penalties for the LGBTQ+ community.
This statement contradicts the position of other Roman Catholic bishops in Ghana who have labelled homosexuality a crime.
The backdrop of this discussion involves ongoing parliamentary debates on a bill that could lead to three-year prison sentences for identifying as LGBT, with up to 10 years for those advocating for LGBTQ+ rights.
Cardinal Turkson’s perspective diverges from the traditional stance of the Church, aligning more closely with Pope Francis, who recently indicated openness to blessing same-sex couples.
However, the Pope clarified that the Church still considers same-sex relationships as “objectively sinful” and does not endorse same-sex marriage.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Cardinal Turkson emphasized the need for education to foster understanding of homosexuality, asserting that LGBT individuals should not be criminalized since they have committed no crime.
Despite acknowledging cultural nuances, Cardinal Turkson criticized the influence of foreign donations on African countries’ anti-LGBT measures, cautioning against imposing positions on cultures not ready to accept them.
This commentary comes amid similar legislative developments in other African nations, such as Uganda, where a law proposing life imprisonment and even death penalties for homosexuality has raised international concerns.
Cardinal Turkson, the first-ever Ghanaian cardinal appointed in 2003, holds a prominent position as the chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Sciences.
A police spokesman said the men and women were arrested “for allegedly conducting and attending a same-sex wedding ceremony”, before adding that homosexuality “will never be tolerated” in Nigeria.
Sixty-nine people arrested after Nigerian police raided an alleged gay wedding have been released on bail.
They were arrested last month in one of the biggest mass detentions targeting homosexuality in Nigeria, where gay weddings are illegal.
A court in Warri, Delta state, ruled on Tuesday that those being held would be freed after each posting 500,000 naira (£520) bail. State prosecutors opposed the move.
The detainees, who did not appear in court, were also ordered to sign a register once a month until their next hearing, according to their lawyer Ochuko Ohimor.
The arrests happened after a tip-off in a police interrogation of someone who allegedly knew about the event, police said.
Officers stormed a hotel in Ekpan where the alleged gay wedding was being held and initially arrested 200 people.
Police spokesman Edafe Bright said at the time: “The policemen chased and arrested… suspects both male and female for allegedly conducting and attending a same-sex wedding ceremony.”
The spokesman added that homosexuality “will never be tolerated” in Nigeria.
Amnesty International’s Nigeria office condemned the arrests and called for “an immediate end to this witch hunt”.
Nigeria brought in an anti-gay law in 2014 and generally sees homosexuality as immoral on cultural and religious grounds. Some other countries in Africa also share these views.
The legislation in Nigeria includes a prison term of up to 14 years for those convicted under the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, and bans gay marriage, same-sex relationships, and membership of gay rights groups.
Cross-dressing is not illegal but tends to not be socially acceptable.
When IDNOWA launched the inaugural Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women’s Caucus last year we had no idea how popular it would be. As the caucus begins to organize we are amazed at the amount of interest and participation we received across Ghana and beyond.
The IDNOWA caucus for LBQ Interfaith Women is the only of its kind in Ghana, and the interest in the caucus projects proved that many have known for a long time: it is desperately needed. The stories have made it clearer for us to see and understand that More attention needs to be paid to LBQ women’s issues, and we need to find ways to create opportunities to have conversations about Women’s issues discussed and be supported at the centre of our advocacy.
IDNOWA LBQ Caucus is proud to be partnering with Outright International who provided funding and support for this project.
We hope to bring lbq women’s issues into focus. This caucus creates an opportunity for all of us to learn, share information and make connections, and we want to encourage all lbq women and allies to sign up for our newsletter for updates and information.
We sincerely thank all of our members and contributors for their time and commitment.
Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa 